You may think of crossing an intersection as a simple, straightforward task. However, what you may not fully realize is that there are potential dangers when doing so. This is especially if there are careless drivers on the road or poorly maintained sidewalks, crosswalks, and traffic signals. Read on to discover who may be responsible for your pedestrian accident and how a seasoned Washington, D.C. pedestrian accident lawyer at Simeone & Miller, LLP can help you deduce this.
How do I determine the responsible party for my pedestrian accident?
Before all else, you must confirm that you did not contribute to your pedestrian accident in any way. This is because Washington D.C. follows contributory negligence law, so you may not be entitled to any compensation if you are found to be even the smallest percentage responsible. To ensure this, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:
- Did you remain within the crosswalk lines at all times while crossing the intersection?
- Did you remain on the sidewalk at all times before being able to cross the intersection?
- Did you wait until the traffic signal indicated that you were able to cross the intersection?
- Did you look both ways and proceed with caution while crossing the intersection?
Once you verify that your pedestrian accident was due to no fault of your own, then you must identify whose fault it actually was. More often than not, the responsible party is a driver who is driving recklessly, driving while intoxicated, driving while fatigued, or otherwise driving negligently. Other times, it is the fault of construction zone workers who create hazardous walkways and standing areas for pedestrians. Or, it can be the fault of a city that neglects to fix faulty traffic signals or hazardous road conditions. And on rare occasions, poor weather conditions are to blame.
What should I do if I am made a victim of a personal injury accident?
As soon as you clarify who the responsible party for your pedestrian accident is, you must work towards recovering your damages. This may entail contacting their insurance company to receive the financial coverage that you require for your medical bills, lost wages, and other economic damages.
However, insurance companies are notorious for minimizing their payouts or refusing to administer payouts altogether. So if you find yourself in a situation where the responsible party is unwilling to take ownership of their negligence, you may have to turn to legal action. That is, you may have to file a personal injury claim.
For more information on how to go about your personal injury claim, you must not hesitate in reaching out to a competent Washington, D.C. auto accident lawyer. We await your phone call.